Avelo Airlines ended its contract with ICE after less than a year.
“Avelo will close the base at AZA on January 27 and will conclude all participation in the DHS charter program. The program provided short-term benefits but ultimately did not deliver enough consistent and predictable revenue to overcome its operational complexity and costs,” a spokesperson for the company wrote in a statement shared with Nexstar.
The airline claimed that the contract did not impact the number of passengers served. “We did not see an impact regarding Customers choosing to fly,” the statement added. “In 2025, Avelo carried a record 2.6 million Customers on scheduled commercial service, 11% higher than in 2024, with minimal seat growth. Our load factor also increased from 2024.”
CEO Andrew Levy said in an email to employees, viewed by CNBC, that the company was placed in the middle of a “political controversy” because of the contract.
“We moved a portion of our fleet into a government program which promised more financial stability but placed us in the center of a political controversy,” Levy wrote. “The program provided short-term benefits but ultimately did not deliver enough consistent and predictable revenue to overcome its operational complexity and costs.”
The company’s base in Mesa, Arizona, will close as the deportation flights end. At the time, Levy said, “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic. Charter flying will provide us with stabilty to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep more than 1,100 crew members employed for years to come.”
